Israel says it rejects ICC's authority to investigate alleged war crimes
Jerusalem is not a signatory of the Rome Statute and insists it is capable of fairly prosecuting war crimes
Israel said on Thursday that it rejects the International Criminal Court's authority to investigate alleged war crimes committed by the Jewish state in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and east Jerusalem.
According to Hebrew media sources, Israel will send its response via a letter, where it will argue that The Hague lacks jurisdiction in the matter.
According to the Associated Press, the notifications were sent to all signatories of the Rome Statute, the court's founding charter, as well as Israel and Palestinians on March 9.
Under Article 16 of the Statute, an ICC investigation or prosecution can be deferred for up to a year on a request from the UN Security Council, which must first approve the appropriate resolution.
Israel, however, is not a party to the Rome Statute and has vociferously protested the court's decision, adding that it is capable of conducting its own investigations.
Jerusalem also argues that the Palestinian Authority is not a state and therefore cannot legally be a member of the court.